The Lost Boys: Hard-To-Find ’80s Albums (Pink Floyd’s “Works”)

“The Lost Boys: Hard-To-Find ’80s Albums” gives you exactly what the title implies: a rare or out-of-print album from the ’80s in its entirety. Some will be from CD, but most will have been lovingly transferred from pristine vinyl culled directly from the Analog Kid’s vast collection. Whatever album I choose, it will be one that you can’t easily find a physical copy for sale on Amazon or in your local record store (if you even have one anymore). Death…by stereo!

1983’s Works was an important Pink Floyd album for the Analog Kid. In reality, Works was just a compilation thrown together by Capitol Records (the band’s former label) to compete with The Final Cut— but for me, it came along at the exact time that I was really getting into Pink Floyd. I knew The Wall and all of the big classic rock radio songs from Wish You Were Here and Dark Side Of The Moon, but Works opened my ears to the music of Syd Barrett for the first time. Works introduced me to songs from Meddle, the Floyd album that I still call my favorite (on most days, at least). Works also taught me what a pict was, a fact that I shared with just about every kid in school.

In addition to the deep album cuts and singles from Pink Floyd’s early years, Works also featured the rare cut “Embryo.” “Embryo” had previously been available only on an obscure 1968 Harvest Records compilation, and an extended version of the song would eventually become a regular concert favorite for the band in the early ’70s.

Works has been out of print for years now, and used copies of the CD are getting harder and harder to find. If you see one at your local used shop, be sure to snap it up. Until then, here’s a 320 kbps rip for your enjoyment. Set the controls for the heart of the sun!